Perry’s struggles spark GOP angst

Sunday

Sep 25, 2011 at 12:01 AMSep 25, 2011 at 1:00 AM

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Texas Gov. Rick Perry worked to convince Florida Republicans yesterday that he is the strongest contender for the GOP nomination, despite a shaky debate performance earlier this week that has sparked jitters about his bid.

Perry lost a key test vote in Florida to businessman Herman Cain yesterday after making a strong effort to win. Perry’s second-place finish in the straw poll occurred just days after he faltered in a debate in Orlando, Fla.

Perry’s recent troubles have sparked another round of angst among Republicans about their slate of presidential candidates.

In an interview with the Associated Press yesterday after he had left Florida for a lunchtime speech in Michigan, Perry addressed speculation that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie might reconsider running for president in 2012.

“I see anybody that gets in the race that believes in America and is a small government but efficient government individual, I would welcome into the race. It just strengthens the point that the Republican Party’s all about getting our country working again. Whoever that is,” Perry said of Christie. “And I’m also a big believer in these governors being freed up to be able to compete against each other. Chris Christie is a great competitor — and I’ll be up there, you know, in Jersey, looking for some businesses to move to Texas.”

Christie insisted Thursday that he doesn’t plan to run for president in 2012. But the intense discussions of a potential Christie candidacy are further evidence that Perry’s bid could be in trouble.

Activists at the Florida test vote kept bringing Christie up as a possible contender. Merick Lewin, who owns a marketing company in Davie, Fla., said he believes it’s a two-person race — unless Christie runs.

Perry, a late entrant into the Republican primary who quickly led national polls, stumbled in recent weeks.

His defense of in-state tuition rates for illegal immigrants put him on the wrong side of the GOP’s conservative base. His rivals worked to exploit his opposition to a fence along the U.S.-Mexican border and his support of a mandatory vaccine for girls against a sexually transmitted disease.

Cain captured 37.1 percent of the vote at yesterday’s Presidency 5 straw poll in Orlando, with Perry coming in second with 15.4 percent. Mitt Romney came in third with 14 percent and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania followed with 10.88 percent.

While all declared candidates were on the ballot, the first-tier candidates did not compete. Perry bought hundreds of activists’ breakfasts on the sidelines before heading to Michigan. Romney skipped and didn’t send representatives to the forum. Romney and U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota both left Florida before the voting began. Bachmann finished eighth with 1.51 percent in the straw poll.